Patrick and the President

K-Gr 3—In June of 1963, President Kennedy visited Ireland. In this fictionalized account, a young Irish lad named Patrick, his family, his schoolmates, and the whole town of Wexford anticipate the arrival of the U.S. president. This is a fine collaboration from Irish broadcast personality Tubridy and award-winning Irish artist Lynch. The narrative starts off gently, with a glimpse of Patrick's home life. The excitement builds as the president's arrival nears. Patrick's dream is realized when he is able to offer Kennedy a Swiss roll he has carefully cut up. The text is pleasant and quietly touching. The softly hued illustrations, expertly rendered in watercolor, help to enhance the text. The artwork is the main focus, as each picture covers two-thirds of the spread, while the text takes up the other third. This is all about Patrick, his town, and Kennedy (Mrs. Kennedy and the rest of the family are not mentioned). Facts about the visit are appended.